Stephen Lacey presents the "New Wave" of British theatre, from the years 1956-65, as a defining moment in post-war British theatre history, in which possibilities arose for a contemporary and engaged drama. British Realist Theatre examines the new theatre of this time in relation to other developments in post-war culture and politics, including social science, the novel and cinema.

In an era of affluence and social dislocation, much of this new theatre was engaged in contesting the "end of ideology" symbolism of the "classless society." It was regarded also as a realist theatre, dramatizing the social experience of a working-class under threat from the new prosperity. Lacey seeks to explore and clarify the ideas of realism, examining the connection between particular plays and productions and the assumptions about theatrical form and politics. British Realist Cinema offers detailed analysis of some of the key plays and productions of the period--by writers such as Osborne, Wesker, Behan, Delaney, Arden, Pinter and Bond--within the context of debates about realist form and intentions, popular theatrical traditions and post-war politics.